Statue of Jasmin

You’ve now arrived at Place Jasmin. With upright posture, one hand over his heart, and the other gesturing as if to set words free, this statue portrays Jacques Boé, better known as Jasmin, a 19th-century poet, a beloved figure of Agen, and a symbol of Occitan culture. Born in 1798 in one of the city’s poorest neighbourhoods, Jasmin was the son of a tailor and a washerwoman. He spent little time in school and was expelled from the city’s seminary. He found his path as a hairdresser and wigmaker, setting up shop on Rue Saint-Antoine, now known as Avenue Charles-de-Gaulle. Though he lived modestly, Jasmin never lost his love of stories. He read whenever he could, and, more importantly, he told stories. To his clients, to friends, to anyone who would listen. As his business flourished, he began to dedicate more time to his true passion of writing. A man of the people, he chose not to write in French, but in his native Gascon, a dialect of the old Occitan language. His life soon took a turn. Jasmin turned into a sharp observer of the world around him, writing about politics, love, and everyday life. His poem La fidelitat agenesa, written in 1822, brought him his first taste of fame. In 1830, the Academy of Agen awarded him a prize for his poem Lou tres de may. It was the first time they honoured a poem written in a regional language rather than French. From that point on, Jasmin’s reputation soared. He gave public readings throughout the region and later across France, becoming nationally known between 1830 and 1840. He gave around 12,000 public performances, often donating part of the proceeds to charity. One such donation even helped build the bell tower of the Saint-Jean de Vergt church in Dordogne. People called him “the troubadour of charity” for his generosity. Though he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Balzac, King Louis-Philippe, and Napoleon III, he never forgot his roots. Jasmin was born in Agen, died in Agen, and has been honoured here ever since. This bronze statue has stood in his memory since 1870. But his legacy reaches all the way to Paris, where a metro station now bears his name. Jasmin remains a symbol of a man who stayed true to his people, his language, and his humble beginnings.